August 24, 2012

Former President Bill Clinton said U.S. renewable energy efforts lag behind those in other countries, and he said action, cooperation and "thinking big" are needed to change the future.

Clinton also told an audience at the fifth annual National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas on Tuesday that government can help.

He said tax incentives are important, and countries like Germany and China have used them to become leaders in solar power around the world.

Clinton recalled helping launch the first conference hosted by Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid in 2008. He also appeared at the event in 2009. He said the slow pace of change shouldn't discourage development.

Clinton also took one-on-one questions from his former White House chief-of-staff and energy conference organizer John Podesta.